Zukaang Week 2012
by furubafan74
Summary: My entries for Zukaang Week 2012.  Ships: Zukaang, Irko, Sibling!Toko, Tokka, tiny amount of Maiko   Impossible Odds is rated M Contains boy/boy kissing and mansex.  don't like don't read no ship/gay bashing
1. Dragons Part 1

"Mama! Mama!" Zuko cringed at Solis' shrill, demanding cries. He wished that he had listened to Aang when she told him not to touch the big, golden egg-shaped stone. But _no._ Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation couldn't listen to the Avatar. He just _had_ to pick up the stone, which turned out to actually _be_ an egg, and which had, of course, hatched in his hands. Two pairs of golden eyes had peered out at him, blinked once or twice, then one had squeaked 'Ma-Mama?' The other had quickly followed suit, and the more Zuko tried to convince them otherwise, the more they seemed to believe it. Then one of them spotted Aang, and had promptly decided that _she_ was 'Papa'. The Sun Chief had shown up shortly after that, and declared that they were both truly stuck. Those hadn't been his exact words, but close enough.

Zuko abandoned his attempts to meditate and looked crankily at Solis. The tiny red dragonet failed to notice his excitement as his whole body quivered in excitement. "What?"

"Mama! Papa showed me a new game, come see, come see!" Zuko sighed and climbed to his feet. It was easier to just go along with whatever they wanted than to fight it. Agni knew the dragonets always won in the end, anyway. He followed Solis as he skittered across the floor towards the door. Aang was in the next room, tossing Qui Lo up in the air, then using Airbending to slow her fall and cause her to twirl slowly as she fell. Solis scampered over to Aang and demanded his turn. She smiled at him.

"Have Mama play with you. You already had your turn, let your sister have hers." The little blue dragonet squealed with delight as the Airbender tossed her higher than the time before.

"Me?" Zuko said. Aang looked at him in annoyance.

"Yes, Your Highness. You." Great. Aang was angry at him. She only used his title when she was angry.

"But I can't Airbend!" Her look was pitying.

"You can't pick up a tiny baby dragon, throw into the air, and catch him? The sheer novelty of Mama spending time with him outside of mealtime, bath time, and bedtime will be more than enough to make up for the lack of Airbending." Zuko flushed with embarrassment. She had a point- Zuko was distant with the dragonets, forcing Aang to do most of the parenting, on top of trying to master Earth-and Waterbending, and learn Firebending. She still didn't need to be so sarcastic about it, though. He sat down and began mimicking her actions with Qui Lo, lifting Solis, tossing him gently into the air, and catching him, careful to mind his claws. Those claws were tiny, but razor sharp. After a few times, he began to relax and toss Solis higher. The little dragon squealed and squirmed in delight before becoming bored with the game and curling up in Zuko's lap. Qui Lo noticed and abandoned Aang to scamper over to curl up on his lap beside her brother. Aang smiled to see them together.

Zuko's heart did a flip when Aang smiled. She was gorgeous. Big gray eyes with thick lashes, delicate arching eyebrows, soft full petal-pink lips, waist-length straight dark-brown hair, worn combed back from her tattooed forehead into a loose braid, and long coltish limbs. She moved with a natural easy grace that was mesmerizing. She wore a mishmash of Fire Nation clothes, and the remains of her novice robes, draped over her shoulders, orange over her left and yellow over her right, tied at the opposite hip. The rags hinted at her slender figure in a way Zuko found enthralling. She was perfect, the most beautiful girl the prince had ever seen. And, naturally, she had a crush on Sokka. Of course she was in love with somebody else. That was just how Zuko's luck went. He did feel a certain smug satisfaction, however, when he considered that it was him, not Sokka, who slept close enough to feel her breath brush his cheek. He had the dragonets to thank for that. They refused to sleep unless they able to touch both Mama and Papa at all times. So the two of them curled up, dragonets between them, on Zuko's narrow cot in the room he'd been given when he was first accepted into the group. Katara had thrown a hissy fit the first time, worried that Zuko was going to rape Aang or otherwise harm the precious Avatar. Aang had calmed Katara by assuring her that if Zuko tried anything she'd Earthbend him into the canyon. She needn't have worried. As much as Zuko loved Aang, as much as he _wanted_ her, she was twelve years old. Zuko refused to go farther than kissing with a twelve year old.

Zuko gazed up at the stars, lost in thought. He heard the dragonets begin to cry as they realized that Mama's warmth was missing, but he didn't budge from his spot. Aang's soft footfalls brushed across the floor as she padded out, carrying the little ones in her arms. Settling beside him, close enough that their thighs were touching, she guided the babies so that they were lying half on his lap, half on hers.

"Copper for your thoughts?"


	2. Impossible Odds WIP

Sokka Wang stared at the computer screen in dismay. He regretted sharing the insane idea he'd come up with about how to stop Zuko Ohasi. The names the program had come up with were: Aang Watanabe, his best friend since early childhood; Katara Wang, his baby sister; and Mai Kame; Zuko's ex-girlfriend. She and Ty Lee Hihosi had defected from the Warlord's forces months earlier. Mai scored slightly higher than Aang and Katara in compatibility with Zuko, but _far_ lower in likelihood to succeed. The program had listed the reason as her defection from Zuko's forces. Aang had scored a single point higher than Katara in compatibility with Zuko, but a full forty points higher in likelihood to succeed. The reasons listed were: his openness, innocence, looks, and charm. Katara was apparently, to stubborn and short-tempered. Sokka would have deleted the results, then claimed the computer had turned up no results, except that the computer had automatically sent the results to all high ranking members of the Resistance. His communicator beeped at him, acknowledging receipt of the results. Aang and Katara would have gotten them too, along with Iroh, Piando, Hakoda, Pakku, Bumi, Toph, and Jeong Jeong. Mai might have gotten them as well since the program had listed her.

The door whooshed open behind him, and he knew it was his girlfriend, Toph Bei Fong, before she spoke. Her bare feet slapping the metal walkway was a dead giveaway.

"Snoozles! What the hell do you think you're doing sending Twinkletoes on this stupid mission!" Toph and Aang were closer than most siblings, despite their elements, Earth and Air, being opposites. Of course she would be upset. Katara would be even worse to deal with. He spun the chair around to face her.

"It's not me! It's this stupid computer program that picked Aang." She poked him in the chest, milky green eyes narrowed dangerously.

"_You_ programmed the program, Snoozles. And, it was _your_ idea to send a member of the Resistance into Ohasi's camp to seduce him in the first place! So, yes, _Sokka_, it most certainly is _you _sending him on this mission." She poked him every time she said 'you' or 'Sokka' for emphasis. Sokka's chest was starting to hurt from all the poking.

"I know that. I just...never expected the program to _work_, much less to pick Aang. Hell, I thought my idea would be shot down cold." He blew out a guilty breath. Toph swayed slightly on her feet, anger extinguished by his words. Sokka reached out and gently pulled her against his chest. She curled up on his lap and pressed her face into his shoulder.

"This is a suicide mission, isn't it?" Sokka closed his eyes in shame.

"If he gets caught, yeah." It was worse than that, though. If Zuko caught him, if he realized who Aang was, then he would torture him until Aang told every bit of information about the Resistance that he knew. It would be the end of them. "If we're lucky, the mission will be axed as soon as they realize it's Aang who was selected." They would have no such luck.

An impossible mission. The Resistance had asked to perform a miracle. Infiltrate the camp of Zuko Ohasi, the cruel Warlord who was hell-bent on destroying the other worlds, seduce him, get him to fall in love with him, and convince him to end the war. Aang had been against the plan when Sokka had suggested it, and had been stunned when most of the other leaders voted for it. Of course, most of the other leaders were old men who wouldn't have to risk being sent on this mission. Mai had assured him that Zuko was bisexual, that Aang would at least have a chance on that front. She had also warned him to be careful of a man named Jet Ho. Jet, apparently, was one of Zuko's lovers and had a tendency of making male rivals disappear. He didn't seem to mind women in Zuko's bed, though. Mai had told him that Zuko tended to share them with Jet. It was one of the reasons she'd defected in the first place.

Getting into camp had been relatively easy. Aang was persuasive, and a relatively good actor. He was certainly better than Katara, anyway. Getting _close_ to Zuko was going to be the problem, much less getting into his bed without being disposed of by Jet. He'd seen Zuko once, from a distance of about a hundred yards or so. The images he'd seen on the computer had not done the man justice. Zuko was both more gorgeous in person, and more frightening. A man whose had been low on Zuko's waist had been with him. Aang assumed that was Jet.

Aang took a deep breath, steadying his nerves. The guard stationed outside of the Warlord's tent had just slipped away, leaving it unguarded. The rebel glanced around, ensuring that there was no one else nearby and walked forward, ducking into the tent. Zuko was lounging alone on a couch, wearing close fitting burgundy pants and an untied red robe, exposing a pale, well-muscled chest. The low table in front of him was covered with platters of various food items. Aang must have disturbed the Warlord's lunch. Crap. Golden eyes studied Aang closely for a long moment before the man smiled slightly, the corners of his full lips barely lifting.

"Who are you?"

"Um, Ku-Kuzon. I am Kuzon Lee. Sir." Aang fiddled nervously with the hem of his tunic.

"And what, exactly, are you doing in my tent, Kuzon Lee?"

"I, um, I want to be your lover," Aang blurted, blushing. "Sir." Aang looked at the ground, blushing furiously. This had been a stupid idea. What if Zuko rejected him? How was he supposed to finish his mission _then_? Worse, what if Zuko had him executed? Shitshit_shit_ this had been a bad idea.

Zuko studied the blushing foot soldier in front of him. Agni was smiling upon him today. He'd been trying to identify this young man since he'd caught a brief glimpse of him a few weeks earlier, and now he'd come into his tent and offered himself. He'd tired of playing Jet's games several months ago, but he hadn't wanted to get rid of him since he didn't have anyone to replace. Now that the lovely Kuzon Lee had offered himself to Zuko, he could get rid of Jet. And he would...after he'd tried out Kuzon. He gestured to the couch in front of him. "Sit next to me, Kuzon. Make yourself comfortable." Zuko pressed the button on his com that would activate the tent's soundproofing. Any noises his new lover made would be for him, and him alone.

Aang crossed the room, then sat beside Zuko. He sat stiffly, tense with nerves and uncertainty. Since he'd made the first move in approaching Zuko, did that mean that he should lean back against Zuko and flirt? Or should be wait for Zuko to make his move and passively submit. Or should he go the middle route? Zuko's fingers trailed slow heat down his spine. "Relax, Kuzon. I won't bite...unless you want me to of course." Zuko's arm slid from the base of his spine to his stomach, where his hand paused. "It took all of your boldness to come in here and offer yourself to me, didn't it, my bold one?" Aang nodded, a fresh blush staining his cheeks. Zuko applied pressure to his stomach, tugging Aang back against the couch. Hot lips brushed the racing pulse in Aang's throat and he gasped. No one had ever kissed him like that before. "Relax," Zuko murmured again.

"What...what about Jet?" Aang squeaked. Zuko bit gently on his earlobe, the hand that had been pressed against his stomach sliding lower. Aang moaned faintly, shivering. Spirits, that felt good. He felt Zuko's breath brush his ear as he chuckled mirthlessly.

"Don't worry about him, my sweet one. I'll take care of him." Zuko turned Aang's face towards him with a finger on his chin and brushed a kiss across his lips. Aang moaned again and leaned forward when Zuko pulled away. "Lunch first, my eager one. Then fun." Zuko's hand didn't stray from the front of Aang's pants as they ate, thumb rubbing gently. Aang nibbled on fruit and cheese while Zuko ate heartily. "Eat, Kuzon. You're going to need the energy," Zuko said, holding a small tartlet to his mouth. "You don't eat meat I take it?" Aang shook his head.

"N-no, sir." Zuko's eyes narrowed slightly, and a shiver of fear ran down Aang's spine. Had he said something wrong?

"Don't 'sir' me, Kuzon. I am Zuko to you now." Aang nodded.

"Yes, Zuko." Zuko brushed another kiss across his lips as a reward.

"Good. Now eat." Aang at the offered tartlet, and everything else Zuko offered him. By the time their meal was complete, he felt confident enough to give one of Zuko's fingers a gentle nip. Zuko pressed another kiss to the pulse in his throat. "I will have more vegetarian options for you at dinner," he murmured. "But for now, fun." His hand slid from Aang's crotch back around to the base of Aang's spine, and his other arm slipped under his knees. Aang whimpered when the wonderful pressure was removed. "Don't worry, Kuzon. There will be plenty more where that came from."

He lifted Aang easily as he stood and headed for the back of the tent, where he ducked through a flap into his bedroom. Aang got a brief glimpse of a simple room, sparsely furnished except for the bed, a single dresser, and a Fire Worlds flag on one wall before Zuko placed him on the bed and straddled him. Aang sank into the mattress beneath the other male's weight as Zuko kissed him roughly before pulling back to strip off his robe. Zuko kissed him again, tongue exploring the inside of his mouth as his nimble fingers began to expertly unfasten Aang's uniform. Aang returned the kiss eagerly as his hands slid around Zuko's neck. Their kiss broke briefly when Zuko pulled Aang halfway into a sitting position to pull of his tunic.

Aang was breathing hard, cheeks flushed, eyes glazed with lust. It had been a long time since Zuko had seen such a beautiful sight, and he told Aang so, then pressed his lips against Aang's again and pressed him back into the mattress. Aang responded to his kisses and touches with a shy eagerness that told Zuko that he was a virgin, or had only a bare minimum of experience. He was leaning towards virgin, though. There had been a time when that realization would have made Zuko back off, to court him slowly, with flowers and romance. But that time was long since gone. He pulled off Aang's pants with a rough eagerness. He'd wanted this young man since he'd happened to see him weeks earlier. The amount of time that had passed since had fanned his interest into a bonfire of lust. Aang's fingers fumbled at his pants, managing to unbutton them and shove them down his hips after a brief struggle. Zuko kicked them the rest of they way off, along with his boots. Once they were both naked, he broke the kiss and lifted Aang off the bed so that he could yank down the blankets and upper sheet and then lay Aang back down on the red silk sheets. Those sheets-and the comfort of the mattress and pillows were the only luxuries Zuko allowed himself. Well, those and his lovers. Jet would _not_ harm this one, he vowed. He would pay with his life if he did.


	3. Gold and Scarlet

Gold, scarlet, onyx and ivory were the colors of Zuko Ohasi, Aang Watanabe mused as he sat at the round table across from the other man. His boss-soon to be _former_ boss if everything went according to plan-had sent him to this dinner in order to seduce the openly gay Zuko into agreeing to sell Jasmine Dragon Jewelry & Designs to his own company, Shostakovitch Jewelers. Disgust twisted his stomach. He'd been Drachov Shostakovitch's, best jewelry designer for four years. Learning that his boss viewed him a pawn who would seduce _any_ gay male for personal gain simply because he was gay felt like a betrayal. He wouldn't mind seducing Zuko, but he had no intention of doing so to "earn" a promotion he didn't even _want_.

Zuko was truly gorgeous. Creamy pale skin, luminous golden eyes, and soft, plush lips, all set off by the brilliant scarlet of his shirt. If Aang was designing jewelry for him, it would be an onyx dragon, with gold dusted over the scales, highlighting them and making them iridescent. A pearl under its chin and a perfect ruby of fiery scarlet forming the flame would complete the design. He pictured it as a collar necklace around the other man's smooth white throat. Perfect.

He took a sip of his wine as he studied the other male.

"You know why Mr. Shostakovitch set up this dinner meeting, right?" Zuko nodded curtly.

"We had arranged an afternoon meeting to discuss the latest offer he's come up with, before he called this afternoon to change the time." Well. It would seem that Zuko hadn't figured out Drachov's latest tactic. He took another sip of his wine. He normally didn't drink at all, and he was starting to get a buzz. He'd better slow down or he'd end up completely snookered. That wouldn't be a glowing recommendation to Iroh Ohasi, Zuko's uncle and boss. Aang was hoping to be hired by the man. Not disgracing himself in front of his nephew would be a good start.

"Shostakovitch changed the meeting time and sent me in his place because he wants me to seduce you into convincing your uncle to sell to him," he said bluntly. Hopefully his honestly would earn him brownie points with Zuko. The other male blinked in shock, staring at him slightly slack-jawed.

"What?" Zuko took a deep breath, even white teeth sinking into his full lower lip. The worst part of what Aang had told him was that it would have worked. He was the type of man who gave his lover whatever he wanted, _did_ whatever his lover wanted. If Aang had seduced him, then had asked him to sell his and his uncle's company, he would have agreed without hesitation. "Why would you tell me that?" he demanded.

"Because I have no intention of doing such a thing." He leaned forward, covering Zuko's hand with his. "I have _no_ objections to seducing you in the interests of mutual pleasure and companionship, but I absolutely will _not_ do so for another's gain," he said, holding Zuko's eyes with his own silver ones.

"Are you always this honest?" Aang smiled at him, a slight curve of his mouth.

"I try to be." Zuko bit his lip again, and Aang wished that it was his teeth sinking into that plush lip.

"Why did he choose you? Out of all his employees, why you?" Aang had asked Shostakovitch that same question a few hours earlier.

"He chose me because I'm a jewelry designer like you, we're about the same age, and I'm handsome, gay, and single." The last word was a relief to Zuko. "It's really as simple as that, in his mind."

"What are you going to tell him?"

"That I'm doing my best, but I don't want to rush things and make you suspicious, but that I'm confident that you'll agree to the sale. I'll string Shostakovitch along until I find a new job, at which point I'll give my two weeks notice to HR." Zuko gave him a half-smile, the left side of his mouth barely lifting. An idea had occurred to him with Aang's last sentence.

"My uncle might be willing to hire you. He'd need to see your portfolio first, of course, and we can't afford to pay you anywhere near as much as your current company does, but I'll make it up to you in...benefits." Aang picked up on the seductive hint in Zuko's tone on the last word, and his pulse quickened in response. He lived well within his means, most of his income going into savings and bonds. A decrease in salary would be no problem.

"My portfolio's in the car. I'll be happy to show it to you and your uncle at your earliest convenience."

"You can show it to him tomorrow morning," Zuko purred. "He lives right next door to me, so I'll invite him over after breakfast." The suggestiveness in Zuko's voice was more that a mere hint now, it was blatant. Aang toasted him with his wine glass.

"It will be my pleasure." Zuko clinked his glass against Aang's. They spent the rest of their meal talking about first Jasmine Dragon Jewelry & Designs, then about their childhoods. Aang told him about being orphaned, and later adopted by a former Tibetan monk named Gyatso. Zuko told Aang about his mother's disappearance when he was six, the years of abuse he had endured at his father's hands, and his uncle adopting him at sixteen. Iroh had also adopted another child, a girl named Toph. She was away, attending a camp for teenagers and young adults who wanted to become professional wrestlers. Zuko assured Aang that he'd get to meet her at some point. Aang knew by the end of the meal that he wanted to marry Zuko. He had a rough idea of the engagement ring he would make for him. Thank God they lived in Massachusetts, one of the few states that permitted gay marriage so they wouldn't have to settle for a civil union.

Aang woke up the next morning in Zuko's bed and stretched lazily, remembering the previous night. Zuko was an eager and responsive lover, who knew what he liked and what he wanted, and had no qualms about demanding it. Aang was even more determined to marry Zuko than he had been the night before. He rolled over to pull Zuko close and frowned when he discovered the other side of the bed was empty. He didn't hear the shower running, so Zuko wasn't in there. He sat up and swung his feet over the side of the bed, reaching for his clothes from the night before. He'd folded them carefully, placing them on the chair beside the window. He'd laughed when Zuko complained and informed him that while _Zuko_ had plenty of clothes there to choose from, Aang didn't. He hadn't, after all, been planning on spending the night in Zuko's arms.

Delicious aromas drifted in from the direction of the kitchen, providing Aang with a hint about his lover's whereabouts. Once he'd pulled on his pants he padded down the stairs and along a short hallway to the kitchen. Zuko was standing by the stove, wearing a scarlet kimono embroidered with golden dragons and cherry blossoms on it. It had slipped temptingly off of one shoulder, revealing creamy skin and the line of love bites Aang had left on his throat to the base of his ear. He walked up behind Zuko, slid his arms around his waist, and began pressing kisses to the other side of his throat.

"What smells so good? Besides you, of course," he purred against Zuko's ear.

"Caramel Apple Dutch Baby and omelets. Roasted vegetable for you, Kung Pao chicken for me." Zuko was putting leftovers in the omelets-he _always_ put leftovers into omelets. It was a good way to make a whole other meal out of them. He shivered as Aang nipped the sensitive skin just behind and below his ear. "Behave, or I'll end up burning breakfast." Aang laughed throatily then nipped again. Zuko's toes curled.

"Mmm. I'll take my chances of enjoying a burnt breakfast if it gets me more kisses." Zuko squirmed around, the kimono slipping farther down his arm. He pouted up at Aang, knowing how attractive he was when he did so.

"I'm trying to impress you with my cooking skills. I can't do that if you distract me into burning breakfast. He pressed a quick kiss to Aang's lips. "You'll get plenty of kisses after my uncle leaves. Now go set the table and stop distracting me." Aang reluctantly released him and started looking in the cupboards to find the plates. Zuko turned back to the stove just in time to prevent Aang's omelet from burning. He turned off the heat and slid the pan to a cold burner. The Dutch Baby would be ready in a minute or two, and once that was done, breakfast would be ready. "The plates are in the cupboard over the sink," he said. "Glasses are in the cupboard next to it." Aang fetched the dishes and carried them to the table, setting two places. Zuko slid the omelets onto the plates, folding them the rest of the way into thirds neatly as he did so. He cut and placed a slice of Dutch Baby beside each omelet before sitting across from Aang, who'd already poured them glasses of juice.

They talked and flirted their way through breakfast. Aang told him about his pets, a Siamese named Momo who believed he could fly; and a Newfoundland named Appa who was big by breed standards and suffered from the unfortunate delusion that he was a lap dog. He'd adopted them both from the local ASPCA. Zuko told him more about his family.

"Where are we going to live when we move in together?" Zuko asked. They had discussed moving in together the night before, but hadn't decided where they would live.

"After my interview with your uncle, we can go to my apartment and you can decide where you want to live." As far as Aang was concerned, as long as he had Zuko, he would be happy living in a cave.

They made love after breakfast, then Zuko called his uncle and invited him over, telling him about Aang and that he was interested in a job with them.

Zuko dressed lazily, feeling Aang's eyes on him. He dressed with comfort, rather than appearance, in mind; choosing comfortable, well-worn jeans and a soft T-shirt. Aang felt that Zuko looked wonderful, almost good enough to eat. Aang pulled on the same clothes he'd worn the night before, a charcoal gray suit with matching silk tie, and dove-gray silk dress shirt.

The doorbell rang as Aang was dressing, and Zuko answered it, greeting his adopted father.

"How did the meeting go, Zuko? I waited up for you to call me last night, but you never did. Iroh's eyes twinkled merrily at his son. He suspected why the man hadn't called the night before- he'd seen him returning, wrapped in the arms of a taller man he exchanged kissed with every few steps. He'd worried at the time that the man was Shostakovitch. Now, he suspected it had been the jewelery designer his son had told him about, Watanabe. Iroh had heard of him-he was one of the best designers in the country, maybe the world. He'd designed for royalty, politicians, and celebrities, and had worn numerous awards and accolades.

Zuko flushed pink at his words. "I, um...got a little distracted," he said.

"Ah." Zuko assured him that meeting had gone well, then led him into the dining room, introducing him to a handsome, tattooed man. "It's a pleasure to meet you Mr. Watanabe. I'm Iroh Ohasi." Aang stood and shook Iroh's extended hand. They all sat down at the table, Zuko sitting on Aang's lap to cuddle with as Iroh sat down in his vacated chair.

"So, Mr. Watanabe, my son informed me that you're interested in a job with our company."

"Yes, sir. My portfolio's in my car." Iroh waved this away.

"That's not necessary. I've seen plenty of your designs. We won't be able to pay what you're used to, but..." He looked at his boy, gazing up at the other man adoringly. Watanabe returned his son's adoration, assuring Iroh that he be happy even with the reduced pay scale.

"I know, sir. Zuko told me last night when he mentioned you might have a job for me." Iroh nodded, pleased.

"Well, then. Welcome to Jasmine Dragon Jewelery Designs. When can you start?" Aang smiled.

"I'll file my two-week notice on Monday, and can start as soon as I'm done at Shostakovitch."

"Good. Welcome to our family."

"I'm honored to be part of it, sir."

Aang stood at the door of his apartment, the love of his life beside him. He braced himself as he unlocked and opened the door. He'd given his pets plenty of food and water, and Appa could go out into the backyard to do his business, but he was still home far later than expected. Momo, weighing barely six pounds, wouldn't be much of an issue when he launched himself at Aang. It was _Appa_ he was worried about. Appa was three feet tall at the shoulders and weighed about 200 hundred pounds. In addition to thinking he was a lap dog, he was also extremely affectionate. That much dog slamming into Aang often caused him to fall straight onto his butt. He grabbed the door frame as he heard Appa's claws clicking on the floor.

Momo landed lightly on Aang's shoulder just as the dog reached him, almost knocking him over despite his grip on the door frame. Zuko supported him with one arm while extending the other the Momo for the Siamese to sniff delicately. Momo rubbed his face against Zuko's fingers as Aang straightened. Once Aang was upright, he extended the other hand to Appa for him to sniff. The Newfoundland began licking it immediately, tail wagging even harder than usual. Aang observed his pets' acceptance of Zuko with relief. If they _hadn't_ accepted him, he might have a very difficult decision on his hands. He smiled before leaning over and stealing a kiss from his distracted lover.

"Welcome to my humble abode, darling." Zuko looked around from the doorway as Aang manhandled Appa out of the way so they could enter. Left to his own devices, Appa would happily keep them in the doorway licking Zuko's hands until he got bored and tried to lick his face and knocked him down.

Zuko smiled seductively at Aang when he had finished exploring. Appa was happily munching dog chow out of his bowl, and Aang had just placed Momo's bowl o top of the refrigerator, the feline's preferred dining location. "I want to try out your bed," he purred, "and see if it's as comfortable as mine." Aang swept him off his feet and carried him to his bedroom.

"I love your bed," Zuko sighed lazily, lying naked on his stomach in Aang's bed. Aang pressed a kiss to his shoulder, hand sliding slowly down the other man's back. "It's so big, with so much room to play." He shuddered delicately as Aang fingered his entrance briefly before moving on. "We'll definitely have to keep it."

"Have you decided where you want to live then, love?" Zuko nodded.

"Yeah. The duplex has more room, plus the backyard's huge, giving Appa lots of room to run around and play." Aang smiled. Appa would absolutely love that. "You can redecorate too. I love what you've done here."

"Mmm. My lease expires in a little over a month. I'll give my notice on Monday that I won't be renewing. That'll give us a little over a month to decide what we're keeping and for me to move in with you." They kissed, breaking apart when the phone rang. Aang rolled out of bed with a curse. It had better be important. It wasn't, just a telemarketer trying to sell some stupid gadget. Aang told him to where to put the stupid thing and slammed down the phone, returning eagerly to his lover. Zuko laughed softly, holding out his arms in welcome.

"You tell those telemarketers, Aang."

"I will," Aang murmured against Zuko's mouth.

An hour later, Zuko sat curled on the couch while Aang made them sandwiches. Their lovemaking had made both of them hungry. Appa came over and sat down in front of him. A few moments later the dog began scooting his butt up the front of the couch. Aang had warned him about this- Appa scooted his weight up the person's legs, or as in this case, the front of the couch, until his butt was on their lap, then launched himself backwards into their lap. Zuko spoke firmly.

"No." Appa froze and glanced guiltily over his shoulder. "No. You're too big for my lap." The Newfoundland paused a moment longer before lowering his rear back to the carpet and lying down. "Good dog." Zuko stroked Appa's head a few times. Aang watched from the doorway, amused.

"Gorgeous, talented, incredible in bed, _and_ a miracle worker with my dog. I am truly the luckiest man of Earth," he announced as he came over to the couch carrying a tray of sandwiches, a pitcher of lemonade, and two glasses. He settled carefully on to the cushion beside Zuko, balancing the tray across their laps. "He never listens to _me_ when I tell him not to sit on someone's lap." Zuko snuggled against him and nibbled on a sandwich.

"What are you going to say in your resignation letter?" Aang shrugged.

"The truth. I received an offer of employment from another company and I accepted."

"Nothing about what Shostakovitch wanted you to do?"

"Nope. That's between me and Shostakovitch. When he finds out I'm quitting he'll call into his office." He sighed. "He's going to blow a gasket." Aang brightened. "The look on his face when he finds out his scheme backfired is gonna be priceless, though."

Aang was bent over his sketch pad, working furiously on the design for the engagement ring he intended to give Zuko. Turtles were a symbol of longevity in Asian culture, cranes of fidelity, and chrysanthemums were a symbol of elegance and happiness. He was trying to figure out the best way to incorporate those, along with the dragon he felt was perfect for Zuko. He could engrave a chrysanthemum into the ruby, but how to incorporate the other symbols? Perhaps he could use three rubies? But, how to arrange them?

His computer beeped, indicating an email. He opened it, scowling when he saw it was a demand to appear in his boss's office. He stowed the sketch pad into his drawer, locking it and stowing to key securely in his pocket. Jewelry design was a cutthroat business, more than most people realized. Especially in a big corporation like this. The last thing he wanted was for someone to steal the designs he was developing to give to Zuko. Or almost as bad, one of the ones he was being _paid _for. Shostakovitch sounded pissed in his email, Aang hoped that he wouldn't be late for his lunch with Zuko due to his boss yelling at him. He pressed the elevator button for the fifth floor. Half the floor was the CEO's office, the other half was divided between his secretary, a waiting room, and filing cabinets.

Bethany looked up as Aang entered the room. "Go on in," she said, waving him through. "He's waiting, and he's not happy." There was compassion in the beautiful young woman's voice. Aang smiled at her. The worst thing Drachov Shostakovitch could do was fire him, and he already had his next job lined up. Being fired meant that he could start working alongside Zuko sooner.

Shostakovitch rounded on him the moment the door clicked shut behind him.

"You're quitting? What the hell do you mean you're quitting? You can't quit!" he roared. Aang waited until he paused to draw a breath before speaking.

"Yes, I'm quitting; I mean exactly that, and I most certainly can. I'm your employee, not your slave." Shostakovitch turned the color of a beet, veins bulging in his temples and throat. He did _not_ like being crossed.

"Who do you think you're leaving me for? I will _end_ them. They will never take you away from me," he bellowed. Aang suppressed a scowl. He was treading on thin ice. Was it better to divert his soon-to-be-former boss's wrath to a different company, or tell the truth. Shostakovitch had a _lot_ of money and legal clout. He could-and would-crush a small, barely off the ground business like Jasmine Dragon.

"It's none of your damn business who I'm leaving you for. And if you do _anything_ to harm my new employer's business, I will go to every media company and forum that will give me the time of day and tell them how you ordered me to seduce Zuko Ohasi so that you could swallow his elderly uncle's business up." He smiled evilly. "They will eat it up. Massive corporation using gay sex to destroy a tiny competitor? The public doesn't have a very high opinion of big corporations or hotshot CEO s at the moment. Your company would take massive losses. The scandal would linger for months, if not _years._ Do you really want to risk that, Shostakovitch? Because I will go to the media." Shostakovitch turned very pale at his words.

"There wouldn't be a scandal," he blustered. Aang snorted.

"Sex, homosexuality, greed, money, a big corporation trying to destroy a small business competitor all in one package? You're kidding. The media will think it's died and gone to heaven. And just _think_ of all those people on the Internet! The media will drag this out every time you or your company is mentioned in an article, even if it's ten years down the line."

"Fine. You win." Shostakovitch looked crumpled, defeated. Aang felt a twinge of guilt.

'You're doing this to protect Zuko and Iroh. Remember that,' he thought.

"I still won't let you quit. You're fired for insubordination. Your desk is to be empty by three o'clock." Aang nodded. He knew why Shostakovitch had really fired him-so that if Aang did go to the media, he could claim that it was simply the imaginings of a disgruntled former employee. Aang made a mental note to keep a copy of his resignation letter, stamped by HR as having been received-and accepted- at 9:02 that morning, a full two hours before he was fired.

"Would you like me to fax the designs I'm currently working on to you when I'm finished?" Aang's former boss shook his head.

"No. I want nothing of yours. Now get out before I have security escort you out.

Aang turned on his heel and left, suppressing a triumphant smirk.

"How'd it go in there," Bethany asked, wide-eyed. "I heard him yelling..." Aang grinned at her. Bethany was such a sweet young lady, fresh out of college. Knowing that she was sending her résumé around, he hoped that she would find a job with a boss who would treat her better soon.

"About as well as I suspected. I'm to be out of the building by three. If I come across any jobs I think you'd like, I'll email you about them," he promised.

"Thank you. I've never seen anyone so happy to be fired."

"I'd filed my two-week notice anyway." Besides, Drachov had just handed Jasmine Dragon a massive gift- three very high-profile clients with pricey commissions in progress: the crown princess of Dubai, an English Duchess, and an exclusive ensemble for Helen Mirren. He smiled to himself as he headed for the elevator, having exchanged good-byes with Bethany. Bringing three commissions to the business before he'd even officially started working there should be more than enough to get Zuko the rest of the day off.

Shostakovitch had ignored Aang's threat and filed in court claiming that the new designs Jasmine Dragon Jewelry Design and Sales had debuted at a gala event (organized by Aang) belonged to his company, claiming that Aang had designed them while in his employ. Aang had sent him and email informing him that the designs were _Zuko's_, not his, and informing him that he had scheduled an interview with ABC News for six p.m. that evening. If Drachov insisted on this frivolous lawsuit, Aang would tell the media everything, and provide proof to back up his claims. He'd sent an excerpt of the proof, a surreptitious recording Aang had made when he realized what Drachov was asking him to do. Shostakovitch had withdrawn the lawsuit and sent a written apology to Iroh and Zuko for the misunderstanding.

He had given the interview, but only talked about Jasmine Dragon and how excited he was to work with such a talented designer. The shameless plug had aired only on local channels. When asked why he had left Shostakovitch Jewelry Designs, Aang had answered that, 'Unexpected circumstances led to me attending a meeting with Zuko Ohasi in Mr. Shostakovitch's stead. It was love at first sight, and when I was offered a position with the company I accepted without hesitation.'

Aang fidgeted nervously, the finally finished engagement ring heavy in his pocket. It had been three months to the day since he'd met Zuko. Now he was preparing to propose to his soul mate. He led Zuko to the middle of the bridge spanning the small pond. The surface of the pond was covered with blooming water lilies, and honeysuckle and jasmine draped the tree branches extending over the pond. The gentle breeze sent petals gliding around them, delicately perfuming the air. Moonlight bathed everything in a silvery glow, filigreeing everything in delicate shades of light and shadow. It was the most romantic place Aang could find to propose. They wore the same clothes they had worn when they met, Aang telling Zuko that he wanted to celebrate their three-month anniversary.

Zuko's eyes widened in surprise when Aang went down on one knee in front of him and removed a small box from his pocket. He paused before opening it, admiring his lover in the moonlight. The silver beams made Zuko's skin even paler than usual, and gilded his raven hair. Zuko was beautiful in the sun, but the moon only enhanced his charms. The ring was a sinuous golden dragon, with eyes of yellow diamonds, and diamond dust highlighting some of the meticulously hand-carved scales. In one clawed foot the dragon clutched three luminous rubies, one with a chrysanthemum deep in its depths, one with a crane, and the third with a turtle. Inside, the words _my heart and soul belong to you, and only you, for as long as the universe exists_ were engraved in delicate calligraphy. Zuko's eyes widened and his lips parted at the sight of the ring. Aang took Zuko's left hand in his right.

"I told you once I was the luckiest man on Earth to have you. I've loved you from the heartbeat I saw you, and my love has only grown with every heartbeat, every breath since. I can't imagine my life without you, and I don't want to. Would you make the happiest man by agreeing to be my husband, Zuko?" Zuko gasped, eyes filling with tears at Aang's beautiful words.

"Of course I will, Aang." Aang slid the ring onto Zuko's finger, then rose to his feet. Zuko slipped into his embrace, mouth seeking Aang's eagerly. When they drew apart, he cupped Aang's cheek with his hand. "I think _I'm_ the luckiest man on Earth to have found you, Aang." They kissed again. "I love you so much, darling."

"I love you, too."

A/N: The only relationship between Aang and his former boss is a boss/employee one. Shostakovitch is just _really_ possessive of his designers.


	4. Tattoos

Zuko Ohasi stood outside of Mad Buddha's Tattoo Parlor, his boyfriend Aang Watanabe's arm warm around his waist. He was about to get his first tattoo, the result of losing a bet with their friend Sokka Wang. Butterflies the size of city buses fluttered in his stomach. Aang's arm tightened slightly when Zuko swallowed hard, and he pressed a tender kiss to his temple.

"We can get something simpler, darling," he said softly. "Each other's initials, or a heart or something." Zuko smiled at him. The ornate, matching tattoos had been Zuko's idea.

"No. I want to get this one. In his hand, he held the drawing Aang had done based on Zuko's idea. He'd drawn two, one for Zuko, one for himself. Aang kissed him again, then reached for the door handle.

"If you're sure, love." Zuko said that he was, and they went inside, a bell jingling to announce their presence. âAfternoon, Rodrigo,â Aang called cheerfully. Rodrigo was the one who had done Aang's recently finished blue arrow tattoos.

Those, Zuko knew, had cultural significance. A tall, heavily tattooed Hispanic man came out of the back room, smiling broadly.

"Afternoon, Aang. This must be the Zuko I've heard so much about." Rodrigo held out his hand, and Zuko shook it. "I'm Rodrigo Conseco. Pleased to meet you."

"We're here to get tattoos," Zuko blurted, then flushed. 'Duh,' Zuko thought. Why else would they be standing in a tattoo parlor? The tattoo artist nodded.

"Do you have any ideas what kind of

tattoo you want?" Aang spoke up.

"Yep. Zuko came up with a really awesome design for matching ones, since he lost his bet with Sokka, too." Aang held out his copy of the tattoo to Rodrigo, who took it and studied it closely for a few minutes.

"This is the size you want?" Aang said that it was. Zuko's would be smaller since he was slighter than Aang. "This is a very detailed design, so it will take several sessions to complete. Now before we get started, I want to give you my usual spiel about getting tattoos with other people's names on them. Tattoos are permanent, and getting them removed is expensive, time consuming, and painful. I don't recommend these types of tattoos, unless they're a blood relative, like your mother, or your children or something. You never know if you're going to break up, and end up regretting your decision. I can't stop you, of course, but I do recommend against it." Zuko and Aang looked at each other and smiled

"Aang's my soul mate," Zuko said softly. "We're not going to be breaking up." Rodrigo smiled.

"Most people who want somebody's name tattooed on them say something like that. You're one of the few people I actually believe.â He gestured to the tattoo chairs. "Who's going first?" Zuko figured that he'd better go first, otherwise he might lose his nerve.

"I am," he said. Rodrigo nodded.

"All right, where do you want it?" Zuko placed his hand flat on the left side of his chest, and said that that was where he wanted it. "Right. Take off your shirt and make yourself comfortable while I get the inks I'll be using and sterilize everything. Fill out these forms too if you would." Aang gave his hand a brief squeeze, "Would you be more comfortable sitting on my lap, sweetie? I know you're nervous." Zuko nodded eagerly in acceptance of Aang's offer. Aang sat down in the tattoo chair while Zuko stripped off his shirt, then wrapped his arms around Zuko's bare waist when the slighter male sat on his lap and leaned back against his chest. Rodrigo smiled when he came in and saw them.

"Nervous?" he asked. Zuko nodded and Aang pressed a soft kiss to the back of his head.

"Yeah," Zuko answered.

"That's natural. I have other thirty years of experience doing this, and I'm fully licensed and accredited. It's gonna hurt, but nothing that a couple aspirin won't fix. I'll give you the instructions on how to clean your tattoo while it's healing, so you won't have to worry about infection, either." Zuko nodded, still nervous, as Rodrigo began transferring the outlines of the design onto the left side of his chest.

Aang stroked his hair, murmuring sweet nothings in his ear as the artist began to ink the outlines of the tattoo into his pale skin. He laced the fingers of his right hand through Aang's, gripping tightly. His lover stroked his hand with his thumb, continuing to distract Zuko with gentle kisses against his ear and on top of his head, and murmuring endearments in his ear. Zuko focused on what Aang was doing, tuning out the pain like he used to when his dad beat him. That was before he'd moved in with Aang permanently instead of just spending four to five nights a week there.

"Right. All done. Just let me clean you up a bit, then put a bandage on you. Keep it dry for the next three days, and follow the instructions on the paper I give you, and I'll see in a month or so to start adding color. Then it's your turn, Aang." Once Zuko was bandaged, he slipped off Aang's lap and pulled his shirt back on. Settling into a chair, he watched as Rodrigo repeated the entire process for Aang.

Three months later, their entire group of friends was gathered at their home to celebrate Sokka and Ty Lee's engagement. Sokka cornered them.

"All right. You two lost that bet_ months_ ago. I want to see your tattoos." They exchanged glances.

"Well, they are finished..." Aang said. "Oh, all right. You can see them." Aang unbuttoned his shirt and lifted the left side out of the way. Sokka gazed at it, wide-eyed, and let out a low whistle. "Zuko got the same one." The tattoo was large and detailed. Two Asian dragons curled their bodies to form a heart. The one on the right was red, the one on the left was yellow. Inside the heart were the words 'Property of Zuko'. Beneath that were three words written in kanji, 'Eternal love' and 'devotion'. "Zuko's says 'Property of Aang', other than that it's the same."

"Dang. I expected you guys to get something...smaller." He glanced nervously over his shoulder. "Don't let Ty Lee see those. They'll give her ideas."

"We won't, Sokka. Besides, she has no business seeing my Aang half naked anyway." Aang glanced at him in amusement.

"You don't seem to have a problem with Sokka seeing me half naked."

"Sokka's not into guys. Ty Lee is." Aang laughed.

"Touche, sweetie," Aang said and kissed him.

A/N: I finally fixed some formatting errors. (Yay for procrastination!) This story takes place in the same AU as 'Baby, It's Cold Outside'. This takes place a few years later; Aang and Zuko are both in their early twenties.


	5. Yin and Yang

Zuko lay half-asleep in bed, his younger lover curled close to him. They had made love for a few hours, and Aang was now peacefully asleep. God knew Aang needed the rest. Ozai and Azula had kept the poor boy on his feet all day. He ruffled Aang's dark brown hair lovingly. He really should have let Aang fall asleep right away instead of keeping him awake to make love, but the other male had started kissing him, and one thing had led to another.

He glanced over at the clock. Three in the afternoon. Sunset would be around nine that evening, so unless Aang woke on his own earlier, Zuko would wake him around eight-thirty. He pressed a tender kiss against Aang's forehead as his stomach rumbled slightly. He would have to feed soon. But not on his lover. _Never_ on his lover, even though his father and sister both assumed that he was.

Silver eyes flickered open, and their owner yawned hugely, then smiled sleepily at Zuko.

"I didn't wake you, did I?" The younger male looked at him in sleepy surprise.

"No," he yawned. "You'd think after all this time I would've adjusted to a nocturnal sleeping schedule." Zuko smiled slightly, stroking Aang's hair.

"It takes a while. It took me almost two years to completely adjust." Aang burrowed close, nodding against Zuko's chest.

"Help me go back to sleep, Zuky," he mumbled. There were several ways Zuko could interpret Aang's request, and he felt himself growing hard just thinking about some of them. He kissed the middle tip of Aang's arrow tattoo, then the tips on either side.

"Go to sleep, little human," he murmured against Aang's forehead, using vampire mojo to put Aang to sleep. His mind wandered as Aang began to snore again.

They were so different, him and Aang. There were days when he was surprised they were actually together, much less happy. Other times, like now, when Aang cuddled happily in his arms, he wasn't surprised at all.

Yin and Yang. That was the phrase he was looking for. He and Aang were like Yin and Yang; opposite, but equal. The most obvious way, of course, was that Zuko, a vampire, was undead, while Aang, a human, was alive. There were other ways, though. Zuko was short-tempered, but his anger usually faded quickly. Aang had the patience of a saint, but he tended to stay angry longer.

Zuko was selfish and impatient. When he wanted something, or in Aang's case, some_one_, he wanted it/them immediately, and he did _not_ want to share. Days-like yesterday-when his father and sister demanded so much of Aang's time and attention that Zuko had none for himself always left him stewing with jealousy. Which, he admitted ruefully, was one of the reasons why he hadn't simply let Aang go straight to sleep. Aang, on the other hand, was selfless and endlessly patient. He was also tolerant enough to put up with all of Zuko's jealous fits. Zuko's silver eyed lover was always willing to share what little he had, especially with Zuko. If Aang became horny during the day, he waited until he was done with his duties before towing Zuko off to bed, unlike Zuko who dragged Aang into a closet for a quickie at the first opportunity.

Aang was trusting, too, unlike Zuko, who had difficulty opening up and letting strangers in. He'd been burned too many times in the past for that. By his father when he tricked him into giving permission to Turn him. There had also been that girl, Jin, a vampire hunter who a come unto him. They'd gone on a few dates, had even slept together a few times. Zuko hadn't loved her, not even close, but it had still hurt to find out that she was a vampire hunter who was only using him to find out where Clan Ohasi lived so that she could lead her team there to kill him, his father, and his sister. Aang had trusted him almost immediately. Zuko giving him the right to say no to him had certainly helped, but Aang was naturally trusting. There'd been no reason for him to trust Zuko, and plenty for him to _not_ trust Zuko, but he still had. He'd never given Zuko a straight answer as to why. He'd given the vampire all sorts of answers, 'I liked you' 'You just seemed trustworthy' or 'You're too hot to be evil like them'. That one was Zuko's favorite.

He yawned hugely, jaws cracking as the stretched. He kissed Aang's forehead one last time, buried his face in Aang's soft hair, and was soon sound asleep.

Soft kisses woke him around eight in the evening. He returned them eagerly, sliding his arms around his lover's narrow waist and flattening him firmly against him. Aang's legs slipped around his waist as their lips broke apart.

"I was going to wake you up in about half an hour." Aang smiled and rubbed his hips against Zuko's.

"Since we have the extra time, then let's put it to good use, shall we?" Zuko didn't answer, just slid his fingers under Aang's pajama top as he kissed him, shifting his weight so he was straddling him. He pulled away briefly, ignoring Aang's pout, as a question occurred to him.

"What do you see in me, anyway? We're so different."

Aang just looked up at him, and said completely deadpan, "That ass of yours, Zuko. I just can't say no to it." He then pulled Zuko back down to him for another kiss, and Zuko didn't think anymore for a while.


	6. The Past

"Tell me about Aang Watanabe." Zuko studied the man sitting across from him. Tall, square-jawed, broad shouldered, with a close cropped graying crew cut and flat gray eyes. Every part of him was huge, his hands, resting flat on his knees, his barrel chest, his muscular thighs. He wasn't one of Zuko's captors, at least, not one that he'd ever seen before. He'd learned enough about military uniforms to tell that the man was Army, and high ranking-possibly a general, although Zuko wasn't certain.

"He was my friend, my protector." 'My lover,' he added silently. "Before the explosion." That explosion had ruined Zuko's life. He'd lost his home, his uncle, his lover, and his freedom. All in less than an hour, from the time to the tea shop exploded until the time the military goons had bundled him into an armored Humvee and driven away.

For the first year, the gold-eyed male had had unwavering faith, a firm conviction, that Aang would rescue him, and soon. The second year, his faith had began to waver, to crack apart. By the end of the third year, Zuko had given up hope completely. Now this general had brought him out of the underground lab and bustled him into an armored limousine. Apparently, Aang had kidnapped the President and was trading him for Zuko. It was too little, too late. _If_ this succeeded, then Zuko would thank Aang for rescuing him, then walk out of his life forever.

"We met shortly after my father burned me," he began, gesturing to his scarred face.

Zuko hunched over, hugging himself one-armed, using the other hand to hold a rag to the burns inflicted on the left side of his face. The rag had been soaked with cold water from a hose in somebody's yard. It had felt good at first. As it warmed, it began first to sting, then to burn. He didn't pull it away, or get up to find another hose to re-wet it, though. A small hand landed on his shoulder, causing him to jump slightly and whip around. A small boy crouched behind him, staring at him with wide gray eyes. The boy was slender, almost to the point of emaciation, with hollow cheeks, a sharply pointed chin, and huge eyes that dominated his face. He was dressing in tattered, filthy clothes that hung of his narrow shoulders and hips. Zuko thought he saw a few strands of dark hair poking out from under his over-sized, floppy hat, but in the darkness he couldn't be sure.

"Are you okay? Why are you crying?" The boy's voice was soft with concern, but harsh as if he wasn't used to using it. Zuko stiffened in indignation.

"I wasn't crying!" Not out loud, anyway. The boy tipped his head to one side.

"I heard you crying from almost three blocks away," he said, sounding confused. His gray eyes flickered to the rag. Is that why you were crying? Let me see. Maybe I can help." Zuko snorted disbelievingly, the action causing a jolt of pain. "You shouldn't do that if it hurts you," the boy said earnestly.

"How did you know it hurt me?" He hadn't given any outward sign; he was certain of it. The other boy didn't answer, just tugged the rag away from Zuko's face with bony fingers. Sucking in a breath at the sight of the burned, ruined tissue, he reached out gently touched the older boy's cheek, just under the burn. Zuko flinched instinctively, although it didn't hurt. Just the opposite, in fact. Wherever the weird boy touched, the pain faded away. His fingers lingered near Zuko's eye for a few minutes, then he slumped back, pale and tired looking, face strained slightly. He swiped a hand underneath his nose.

"That's the best I can do, sorry. We should get you to a hospital." Zuko hesitated. A hospital was a good idea, but he was reluctant to go. His father sure as hell wasn't going to let him come back. And as for his uncle...well, Zuko wasn't sure he could handle being rejected by the old man, too. He shook his head. The weird boy studied him closely.

"If your uncle rejects you, I'll take care of you," he promised. Zuko's head snapped around, causing dull pain to flare.

"How do you know about my uncle?" he demanded suspiciously. He _knew_ he hadn't mentioned his uncle. The boy just shrugged.

"I...I have my ways," he mumbled, not quite meeting Zuko's eyes. He looked back at Zuko suddenly, eyes wide with fear. "You think I'm a freak, don't you?" Zuko blinked, stunned. "Everybody does," he continued miserably.

"Why would I think that?" Zuko asked. The boy looked surprised.

"'Cause of how...never mind," he said, brightening. He wrapped one arm around Zuko's waist and towed him to his feet easily. The boy was far stronger than he looked. Zuko was surprised to note that the kid was easily a foot and a half shorter than him. "Come on. Let's get you to the hospital." Zuko set his feet stubbornly.

"I'm not going anywhere with you until I know who you are." The kid blinked at him.

"Aang Watanabe. What's _your_ name?"

"Zuko Ohasi." Aang smiled crookedly at him, taking more of his weight as Zuko stumbled slightly.

"I got ya. Don't worry. You know, I think we're going to be good friends, Zuko." Zuko raised an eyebrow skeptically.

"Think so, do you?"

"Yep."

Aang had sat, unobtrusive and impassive, in the corner of the examining room the ER Nurse had led Zuko to after getting a good look at his burn. Now that the doctors and nurses, and of course the police officers they'd called after coaxing out of Zuko _how_ he'd gotten the horrible third degree burns, had left, Aang slipped off his chair and came to stand in front of Zuko.

"Your father did this to you? Where do I find him?" Aang's eyes were Arctic cold, and his voice was hard as granite. Zuko looked at him in alarm. This was an entirely new side to the kid, one he never would have guessed existed.

"Why?" Aang's answering smile was frightening, predatory.

"Just curious," he said innocently. His tone contrasted utterly with the look in his eyes and his smile. Zuko wasn't buying it for one second. The nurse came in then, preventing him from asking any more questions.

The nurse was an older lady, grandmotherly in appearance. Her hair was white with gray strands here and there, and was worn in a loose bun at the top of her head. Her skin was powdery ivory, with plenty of wrinkles, including a lot of laugh lines. Her faded blue eyes crinkled at the corners as she smiled warmly at Zuko. Her voice was quavery but sweet when she spoke.

"All right, dear, your room is ready. Once you're there, you can settle in and get some sleep." The violence had faded from Aang's expression as soon as the nurse began to open the door, replaced by a look of sweet innocence. Zuko knew instinctively that the murderous look hadn't been aimed at him, would _never_ be directed his way. Still, he doubted that he'd look at him the same way again.

"What about Aang?" The nurse blinked several times, looking at Aang like she hadn't noticed him before Zuko mentioned him.

"Ah. Well, I'm afraid that he's going to have to go home. Visiting hours are long since over, dear," she said, frowning.

"Can I at least come with him to his room and help him get settled? That way I'll be able to find his room easier tomorrow, so I won't have to bother any hard-working pretty nurses like you." He smiled charmingly. The nurse blushed pink at his words.

"Oh. Well. Um, of course you can," she said, sounding flustered. She bustled Zuko into a wheelchair, "hospital policy, dear" and led the way to a third floor room in the Burns Unit. Aang fluffed his pillows and pulled the blanked down as Zuko walked unsteadily across the small gap between the chair and the bed, sitting down heavily.

"Why am I so wobbly?" Half of his face being swathed in bandages wouldn't account for wobbly legs. Issues with depth perception most definitely, but not _wobbliness_.

"Your pain meds, dear." She lifted the blanket up as Zuko, with Aang's help, laid down flat against the newly fluffed pillows. The meds seemed to be making his sleepy along with wobbly, and his eyes were drooping as the nurse lowered the blanket.

"I'll see you later, OK, Zuko?" Zuko nodded sleepily. Aang slipped out after the nurse, and Zuko was soon fast asleep. He woke the next morning to find Aang sound asleep beside him, curled on his side in the small hospital bed, one hand resting on what was left of Zuko's hair. He was wearing different clothes, Zuko noticed. New, clean ones. He noted with amusement a sticker Aang had missed on one leg of the pants. He reached instinctively to peel it off. Aang's eyes snapped open the instant Zuko touched him, and he looked around wildly, something akin to panic in his eyes before recognizing where he was. He relaxed measurably, though a look of slight wariness remained in his eyes.

"Morning, Zuko!" he chirped. Oh, God. He was a morning person. Yippee. Aang had kept the same hat he'd been wearing the night before, and Zuko saw that he definitely had a few chunks of dark hair sticking out of the brim of the hat. There was also a very pale blue arrow in the middle of Aang's forehead. The older boy wasn't surprised he'd missed it the night before. It blended almost perfectly with Aang's skin.

"Morning," he grumbled. Aang tensed, looking past him.

"I'm not here," he said as he disappeared over the side of Zuko's bed. Zuko was still peering after him in confusion as the door opened and a nurse came in. She was young, African American, with warm brown eyes and skin the color of good chocolate. She wore her black hair in intricate braids twining around her head.

She smiled at Zuko.

"Good morning, Zuko. How are you feelin' this morning? Need another pain pill?"

"No. I think the one from last night is still working." Zuko had expected it to wear off hours earlier, and for there to be at least _some_ pain. Instead, there was nothing. If it wasn't for the bandage covering half of his face, he almost wouldn't have believed that the burns were still there.

Aang reappeared from wherever he'd been hiding as soon as the nurse had left. Plopping on the edge of the bed, he reached out and stroked Zuko's head, then asked the same question the nurse had.

"You're _sure_ there's no pain?" Zuko assured him that he was.

The general interrupted Zuko's story. "Fascinating story. But I'm interested in information about Aang Watanabe, not your life story," he said coldly. "So far all I've learned is that he's touchy-feely and protective of you." Zuko couldn't restrain his smirk. He'd revealed two of Aang's abilities, and hinted at several others. This idiot must have kissed a _lot_ of ass to get his rank.

"Fine. Long story short, my uncle showed, took us both home with him, and we lived as one big happy family until the Jasmine Dragon exploded." Zuko had become convinced over the years of his captivity that the government had been behind the explosion-or that, at the very least, they knew about it and had approved. The general scowled at him.

"Cute. Tell me more about The Shadowwalker, but without so much extraneous detail."

"I don't know who this 'Shadowwalker' person is," Zuko said flatly. The other man's eyes grew even colder.

"Aang Watanabe calls himself The Shadowwalker." Zuko sighed and continued his story.

"Uncle, contrary to my fears, was fine with my homosexuality." Zuko thought he saw the man's lips tighten slightly, but ignored it. "He and Aang got along wonderfully, like pumpkin and pie. Uncle became like a father to Aang."

Aang always refused to talk about his past-would dance around the subject as nimbly as a ballerina. That had never really bothered Zuko- frankly, he'd rather forget about his own past completely. He did eventually cave in and tell Aang how to find his father. Aang went to Ozai's house, snapped his arm like a twig; completely crushed the bones in his right hand; shoved him up against the wall; then held a foot-long razor-sharp hunting knife to the man's throat, threatened to castrate, skin, and then disembowel him if he so much as _thought_ about hurting Zuko ever again. Ozai had gone the police, but they had taken one look at Aang and had decided that Ozai was either mistaken or maliciously lying. Zuko alibiing him by saying that he'd been in his room all night had certainly helped. (Zuko had terrible nightmares if Aang didn't sleep beside him.) If they had seen the evil smirk Aang had given Ozai as soon as their backs were turned, they might actually have believed Ozai. Two years later, when Ozai had actually _tried_ to hurt Zuko again, Aang had put him into a padded cell for six months, the bastard's mind trapped by horrors and nightmares only he could see, hear, feel, or taste.

Ozai still required therapy to deal with the after-effects.

The silver eyed boy had attended school with Zuko for about two weeks, at which point he had been permanently expelled after causing several students to have what doctor's called 'unexplained nervous breakdowns'. The boys would bully Zuko, Aang would catch them and grab one of their wrists. The grabbed boy would, after a moment, begin screaming in terror. One of them had wet and shit himself. The last boy, the one Aang had been banned from ever setting foot on school district property because of, hadn't screamed in terror. He'd screamed in agony and curled up in the fetal position, sobbing hysterically. Several bones had snapped, although Aang never touched more than his left wrist. He'd called Zuko a 'cock-sucking butt bandit' and an 'useless faggot.' No had dared to bully Zuko after that, too afraid of Aang to tempt fate. Aang met Zuko just off of school grounds every day after school so that they could walk home together. The kids at school called Aang 'Ohasi's Psycho-Guard-Freak' and wouldn't come within fifteen yards of him.

Iroh home-schooled Aang after his expulsion. In order to, as he put it, 'earn his keep,' Aang did whatever he could to help out-gardening, the cooking, cleaning, laundry, and grocery shopping, etc. He also brought Zuko 'pretty things' almost constantly. Cedar roses, beach glass, flowers, crystals, stones, whatever caught his eye that he thought Zuko would like. They were part of his seduction technique, which Zuko had stubbornly resisted for the first few years. Not because he wasn't interested, he was, but because Aang was too young. Zuko had no interest in going to jail.

Then, one day, Aang hadn't met him at school. Zuko had hurried home, worried, and found Aang upstairs, in their closet, having a seizure. His body jerked and spasmed, blood trickling from his nose and from under his bandanna, eyes rolled back to show only the whites. Zuko had no idea what to do, and was about to go fetch his uncle when it stopped. Aang grimaced and started to exit the closet when he noticed Zuko. He blanched, causing the red blood to stand out even more.

"Zuko, I-I..." His stricken gray eyes darted away from Zuko's. "I never wanted you to see me like that," he said softly. "I'm sorry." Zuko blinked in shock, then dragged Aang out of the closet into his arms. Ignoring that Aang was now a good six inches taller than him, he cradled the younger male against his chest and stroked his back.

"It's all right," he murmured. "There's nothing to apologize for." They sat in silence for a few minutes. "What _was_ that anyway? Does it happen frequently? We should get you to a doctor..." Aang silenced him by pressing a finger to his lips.

"A doctor wouldn't be able to help." He squirmed a little, then reached up and tugged the bandanna he always wore off of his head, revealing two fluffy gray cat ears instead of human ones. "Do you remember when we first met and I said everyone considered me a freak? These are why. Well, these and the tail." Zuko reached out and stroked his fingers hesitatingly, gently against Aang's left ear. Aang purred loudly in response.

"Do you like that?" Aang smiled at him.

"Yes." Leaning his head into Zuko's hand, he continued. "The seizures happen when I process the fear and pain I draw away from people. Sometimes I push it into someone else, like those bullies at school, or your father. But most of the time it builds up until I have to process it or risk sensory overload. That causes the seizures. I've managed to hide them from Iroh, and until today, from you." He looked at Zuko seriously. "Everything I've told you, and what I've showed you has to remain our secret. Dr. Whitney would do anything to get me back, and I don't want to place you and Iroh at any more risk than I already have. I took enough risk when I punished the bullies and your father." Aang's fingers stroked through Zuko's hair as he spoke. Zuko leaned forward, resting his head on Aang's shoulder. "I'm not a little kid anymore, Zuko," Aang murmured against his hair. Zuko released a shuddering breath.

"I know," he said. He looked up at Aang. Dear God, how he'd grown. Had it really been only four years since he was a scrawny kid in too-big clothes? That would make Aang sixteen. Ish. Aang wasn't exactly certain when his birthday was, or how old he was precisely, but he was around sixteen. Which meant that Zuko wouldn't end up in jail and on a sex-offender registry for finally letting Aang give him what he wanted so badly. "I love you," he whispered, afraid of Aang's response.

"I love you, too. I always have, since we met." Zuko smiled, relieved, at Aang's reply, then pressed his lips against Aang's. '_Finally_,' he thought. Their kiss rapidly deepened, and they were soon in bed, tangled up together. Aang knew exactly _where_ to touch, _how_ to touch, and _when_ to touch to send Zuko over the moon with pleasure.

They'd had one glorious year of pure bliss together, before the Jasmine Dragon exploded.

As he'd recounted his story to the cold-eyed general, Zuko had remembered something something he'd forgotten during his imprisonment: Aang had _adored_ him,had worshiped the ground Zuko walked on. He wouldn't wait so long to rescue because he didn't care, or he didn't _want_ to, but because he _couldn't_ for whatever reason. Maybe he'd been unable to find him. Maybe he'd tried earlier, but had failed. It could have been any number of reasons. One thing was for certain, though: once he had Aang back, he was _never _going to lose him again.

The limo coasted to a stop in front of a nondescript warehouse. A huge man, obviously military, stepped out of the shadows and walked up to the limo.

"General Wayne? I'm Captain Ryland Miller, leader of the Ghostwalkers. My team will be handling the exchange from here, sir." He glanced at Zuko. Wayne flushed angrily.

"I wasn't informed of this," he blustered. Captain Miller cut him off.

"Talk to General Rainer, sir. I got my orders straight from him." He pulled Zuko from the limo, and offered no resistance when Zuko yanked his arm from his, annoyed. He most likely realized that Zuko had no intention of trying to escape. "You don't have to go with Watanabe," he said softly, once they were out of earshot of General Wayne. "My team can make sure you get to safety." Zuko studied him frostily. Before recounting his-_their_-story to Wayne, he would have agreed to Miller's offer. But not now.

"I will be leaving with Aang," he said coldly. Captain Miller let the subject drop, one eyebrow raised. Another man melted out of the shadows near the building.

"Stay between me and Gator," Miller ordered him. Zuko nodded. As long as they didn't attempt to prevent him from leaving with Aang, he would follow their orders.

A/N: This story is a cross-over between Avatar the Last Airbender and the Ghostwalker series by Christine Feehan. Ryland Miller may be out of character, and if he is, I apologize. It's been a while since I read a Ghostwalker book with him in it.

This AU will be continued in a chapter fic called 'The Shadowwalker.'


	7. Scars WIP

Aang felt the nausea twist his stomach and lunged for the trash can beside his desk. After a few moments of choking and retching, he managed to expel the large frog. "Well," he muttered, "_that_ formula's a failure." He scratched it off on his parchment, then glanced at his arm. The intentionally made scar was still there. Even if it hadn't been, the side effects would have made it unusable. Damn it. Zuko's birthday was the following week, and Aang wanted this done before then.

Zuko was extremely self-conscious about his scars, had the mistaken belief they made him _ugly_. Aang snorted. He doubted a Curse of Ugliness could make the golden-eyed teen ugly. Slightly less heart-stoppingly gorgeous, maybe. But not _ugly._ Never ugly. Of course, whenever Aang expressed this fact to him, Zuko didn't believe him. He was a stubborn one, his Zuko was. Aang brushed away his thoughts of Zuko-as pleasant and enjoyable as they were, they were distracting-and began to mix the next formula on his parchment.

Aang sat in Iroh's kitchen. It was a day before Zuko's birthday, and he and the old man were making a few last minute plans for the surprise party the following afternoon.

"Clematis is making the cake, I'll be handling the food, Jim is going to handle the entertainment-" Iroh's voice broke off as the sound of the shower ceased. Zuko was done with his shower and would be coming downstairs soon.

"He still has no idea, right?" Iroh smiled conspiratorially.

"Nope."

"Good. I'll take him out tomorrow while you and Jim get everything set up." They both heard Zuko's feet padding down the stairs. Zuko-sweet Zuko!- had no idea Aang was there. He was expecting him the next day. He stopped dead in the doorway at the sight of Aang, looking adorable in only a fluffy white towel and a faint pink blush. Aang smiled broadly at him. "Afternoon, beautiful!" he said, striding over to press a gentle kiss to Zuko's forehead. Thanks to his bastard father raping him a little over a month earlier, Zuko was only comfortable holding his boyfriend's hand and being kissed on the forehead. Aang hoped that he would be comfortable being hugged soon. His arms ached to hold Zuko close. Still, Zuko had made fantastic progress over the last month with his therapist. He'd announced a week earlier that he would be comfortable dating Aang. Aang had been tickled pink by the announcement, and surprised that it had come so soon. Zuko turned a darker shade of pink at his greeting.

"Aang, I wasn't expecting you until tomorrow...," he mumbled. If he had known his uncle wasn't alone, he would have gotten dressed before coming down. He hated Aang seeing his scars. He didn't mind his uncle seeing them, though, since the man had tended to most of the wounds that caused them. Of course, if he and Aang were ever intimate, Aang would see them then. Zuko dismissed the thought-it would be a while before he was ready for _that_.

"I know. I came early as a surprise for you." Zuko smiled up at him.

"It's a nice surprise, really, but..."

"But you're embarrassed about being caught in a state of undress?" Zuko nodded, his cheeks going from dark pink to scarlet. He excused himself, then dashed upstairs to get dressed. When he came back down he was wearing blue jeans and a loose long-sleeved dark blue shirt. Aang thought that Zuko looked wonderful.

"Can Aang and I go to the movies, Uncle?" Iroh beamed at him.

"Of course, my nephew. You don't need my permission. Have fun," he said. Zuko slipped his hand into Aang's as they left the room. "Call me if you need anything," Iroh called after them.

"We will, sir," Aang called back, then turned to Zuko. "Which movie are we going to?"

"A family movie. You'll like it." He glanced shyly at Aang. "It's about a kitten that saves the world." Aang smiled at him.

"That does sound good," he said.

The kitten turned out to be absolutely adorable, all fluffy fur and huge wide eyes. The rest of the movie, sadly, was like watching paint dry. Zuko almost fell asleep a few times. Several children in the audience actually did, including one that snored astonishingly loudly for such a small child.

"I'm sorry, Aang. That movie sounded more interesting than it was."

"That's all right, bella. (beautiful one) I enjoyed it." Zuko glanced at him doubtfully. "I did! The kitten was very cute, as was the little girl. They made a very good team." Aang smiled at him so genuinely that Zuko realized he'd meant what he said. "I'm sorry you didn't enjoy it though." He linked his hand through Zuko's. "Will your appetite be ruined if I buy you and ice cream cone?"

"No." Zuko led Aang to his favorite ice cream parlor, where Aang bought them both small cones, vanilla for him, chocolate for Zuko. He was going to buy one for Iroh and one for Jim, but Zuko assured him that they would be melted messes before they got home. They sat outside on one of the picnic tables as they ate, holding hands.

"What did you get me for my birthday?" Zuko asked casually. Aang glanced at him in amusement.

"You'll find out tomorrow, mia bella." (my beautiful one) Aang's gift was two-fold-the scar removal lotion he'd finally perfected (the only side effects were slight redness and a bit of itchiness.), and he would be taking Zuko out for most of the day, doing whatever Zuko wanted. An older lady approached them, her graying blonde hair twisted back in an elegant French Twist, blue eyes narrow and her small red mouth pinched.

"Excuse me for interrupting, dears, but Ah noticed you holding hands and Ah was curious. Are you nice young men brothers or cousins?" the woman asked in a thick Southern accent.

"Neither, ma'am. Zuko's my boyfriend," Aang told her cheerfully. Zuko glanced at him sharply. He recognized this woman, she was one of his father's secretaries. (Ozai had a different secretary at each of his offices.) She knew that Zuko had no brothers, or living male cousins. What game was Ms. Harbuckle playing? Her lips tightened further, and she nodded curtly.

"Ah thought so. Zuko, dear, does your father-" Aang cut her off coldly.

"Ozai signed over his parental rights three weeks ago. It's really none of his business what Zuko is doing or with whom." Aang smiled frostily. "He's not breaking any laws, so I fail to see how this is any of _your_ business, either." Aang had noticed recognition, alarm, and dread flash across the younger teen's aura, and had adjusted his attitude accordingly. Shielding Zuko from distress was more important than unfailing politeness, in his eyes. "Now, if you'll excuse us...we have better things to do than stay around nosy busybodies such as yourself." Aang slid off the table, stepping nimbly to the ground, then helped Zuko step off the table. Re-lacing his finger's through Zuko's, they walked away, heading back to Zuko's home without a further word to the nosy woman.

Iroh and Col. Jim Taylor both smiled broadly at the teens when they returned. "How was the movie?" Iroh asked.

"Boring. Aang liked it though."

"Good. As long as you boys had fun." Zuko told his uncle about seeing Ms. Harbuckle. "It could just be a coincidence, running into her at the ice cream parlor like that." Iroh paused, thinking. "_Or_, it could be an elaborate plot on Ozai's part to send spies all around the city to spy on you and report back to him." Zuko began to smile, his lingering worries evaporating. Once his uncle put it that way... Aang kissed his temple tenderly.

"See, mia bella? It was nothing to worry about." Aang had reassured Zuko repeatedly on their way home, but the other male hadn't been comforted.

Shinto stalked in, completely ignoring Zuko.

"What are you so grumpy about, Shinto," Aang asked. He received a single curt mew in response. "He's mad we didn't we didn't take him with us to the theater," he translated.

"He was asleep!" Aang made a 'don't tell me' gesture. "You were asleep, buddy. You know how much you don't like being woken up. Besides, cats aren't allowed in movie theaters." Shinto stopped grooming his chest and growled at Zuko.

"He says that never stopped you from taking him places before," Aang put in helpfully. Iroh and Jim watched in amusement as Zuko tried to mollify his annoyed cat, with Aang translating Shinto's responses to Zuko's various offers.

"Whoever said that cat worship is dead never watched somebody attempted to appease an angry feline," Jim said wryly.

"All right, _fine._ We'll watch the movie again, and this time we'll take you along," Zuko grumped, conceding defeat. Shinto padded over, and began butting his head against Zuko's knee and purring loudly. Zuko scooped him into his lap and stroked his silky fur. He sighed. Now I have to watch that stupid movie again." Aang scratched under Shinto's chin.

"Why don't Iroh and Jim come with us, and we can all go out to dinner afterwards," Aang suggested cheerfully. "My treat."

Jim found the movie just as boring as Zuko had, although Iroh and Shinto both enjoyed it. Afterward they went to Zuko's favorite restaurant, Jade Moon Asian, for dinner. A small problem occurred to Iroh while they were there.

"Where is Aang going to sleep?" Iroh's home had three bedrooms: one was his, one was Zuko's, and the third was a guest bedroom, currently occupied by Jim.

"I can sleep on the couch," Aang and Jim said in unison as Zuko said, "He can sleep with me." Iroh looked at him in surprise.

"Would you be comfortable with that, my nephew?" Zuko shrugged, blushing furiously as he slipped Shinto some chicken in the cat's hiding spot inside Zuko's backpack.

"I was in Red Lodge," he muttered. "I don't think Aang's going to forget that he's a gentleman now that we're dating."

"Of course I won't darling." Aang laced his fingers through Zuko's, receiving a shy smile in return. "I'll make the Great Barrier of Pillows again." Zuko snorted faintly at Aang's use of the term Zuko had coined at the Safe Haven Inn in Red Lodge.

Zuko woke the next morning sprawled across Aang's chest. His head was cushioned almost directly over the other teen's heart, and his hand rested on Aang's shoulder, his tummy lying across one of the pillows in the Great Barrier. Aang's arm was wrapped loosely around his waist, and Shinto was curled peacefully on the unused pillow. It was the same he'd woken that morning in Red Lodge, the only difference being that Aang was still sound asleep and snoring. Apparently, his body gravitated to Aang's whenever they slept in the same bed.

He clung to this state between sleep and wakefulness for as long as he could. Here, the emotional and mental scars left by Ozai didn't bother him, and he could enjoy this intimacy with Aang.

Wakefulness claimed him, bringing with it discomfort at being in Aang's arms. He sat up, gently easing out of Aang's loose, one-armed embrace. He padded over to the mirror, and after a quick check to ensure that Aang was still asleep, stripped off his pajama top off to study his scars. His torso was dotted with cigar and cigarette burns. There were also knife scars, most prominently a long one stretching from under one arm, across his chest and stomach, and curving around his his hip. His father had caused that one because he didn't like the shirt that Zuko had been wearing. There were a few scars wrapping around from his back left by the whip Ozai had used on him a few times. The coup de grace were the letter carved deep into his stomach just above the waistband. Examining his scars like this was a morning ritual. He hadn't told the therapist about it, though.

Not for the first time, he wondered if Aang only pretended to have feelings for him, pretended to find Zuko as beautiful as he claimed. Yet again, he brushed the thoughts aside. Aang didn't lie to him-besides, he couldn't fake the way his eyes lit up, the way his whole face brightened whenever he saw Zuko. The other male even stood straighter when he saw him. Of course, Aang had yet to see the scar disfiguring a full quarter of his face. Zuko intended to keep _that_ damned thing hidden from him as long as possible. True, the Wizard hadn't given any indication that the other scars bothered him one whit. Zuko was still paranoid, though. Maybe the burn on his face would be the straw that broke the camel's back. 'Or scar, in this case,' Zuko thought dryly. A low, sleepy voice from the bed drew his attention.

"Ciao, mia bella. (Hello, my beautiful one.) How do you feel now that you're the ripe old age of seventeen?" Zuko sent a quick, awkward smile over his shoulder as he fumbled for his pajama top. "Admiring your beauty, gorgeous?" Zuko shook his head, blushing furiously. He pulled his pajama top over his head, trying to hide as many of his scars as possible in the process. The sheets rustled as Aang sat up, swinging his feet over the side of the bed. Zuko heard him pad up behind him, resting his hands lightly on his shoulders. He pressed a light kiss to the back of his head.

Their eyes met in the mirror.

"I didn't mean to embarrass you, bella." Grey eyes twinkled. "You're not old, or ripe, sweeting." Zuko smirked.

"No. I'm not. It's good to hear you admit it, though." Zuko was grateful that Aang had completely ignored the _real_ reason he'd been uncomfortable. "Shoo. I have to get dressed." Aang bowed formally to him.

"Your wish is my command, oh beautiful one." Zuko shoved him playfully as Aang straightened. He stumbled a step or two backwards, chuckling. He grabbed his bag and headed towards the bathroom. Pausing at the door, he said, "I'll meet you downstairs. I'm taking you out."

"Where are we going?"

"Wherever you want to go. I am your personal chauffeur."

Zuko called after him as he disappeared out the door, "When did _you_ learn how to drive?" Aang's laughing response drifted back to him.

"_Magic_, Zuko." Zuko shook his head as he chose clothes to wear that day, still smiling. Aang's happiness and enthusiasm for _every_thing was infectious. The scarred teen often smiled around him. He was _not_ going to get into a car driven by Aang, though.

Once dressed in blue jeans and dark green long sleeved T, he padded down the stairs to find Aang ready and waiting for him in the kitchen. Aang was dressed casually in in jeans and a blue T shirt.


	8. Update

THIS IS NOT A NEW CHAPTER.

Scars has updated, as has Impossible Odds. Dragons will update soon.

Thank you everyone, for your patience.


	9. Update2

UPDATE 2:

Gold and Scarlet is complete, and Dragons Part 1 is done. I also corrected a few errors in Dragons.

Thank you all again for your patience, it is very much appreciated. :)


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